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Played
August 21, 2010 4:00 PM EDT
Buck Shaw Stadium
Referee: Terry Vaughn
Attendance: 10799
August 21, 2010 4:00 PM EDT
Buck Shaw Stadium
Referee: Terry Vaughn
Attendance: 10799
Top of the Match
Jon Busch
San Jose
San Jose
Chris Wondolowski
San Jose
San Jose
Flop of the Match
Edson Buddle
Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
Donovan Ricketts
Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 Los Angeles Galaxy: Goalkeeping Helps Quakes Hold On
An early goal was the difference.
By Giovanni Albanese
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- In front of a sellout crowd of 10,799 fans at Buck Shaw Stadium -- which is a record attendance at the venue -- the San Jose Earthquakes got an early goal from Chris Wondolowski and rode that to their 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon.
First Half
Los Angeles has been the best team thus far in the 2010 Major League Soccer season. They have accumulated their first-place standing by strong offense, defense and heady individual play. In the fourth minute, that escaped them, however.
Bobby Convey sent in a cross from about 30 yards from goal. It landed in the middle of the box, but Donovan Ricketts couldn’t commit to the ball. When he did, he was unable to snag it, and it went behind him to Chris Wondolowski, who put it in the open net for an early lead.
After the Quakes goal, the Galaxy controlled play -- most of it coming in the attacking third -- winning a number of corners and taking several shots.
Sean Franklin came up from his back line to give the Galaxy its best opportunity of the bunch in the ninth minute. Franklin controlled a cross with no Earthquake remotely close. He chested it down and ripped a shot that just missed high.
Play settled in with L.A. controlling possession and in the 27th minute, the Galaxy got its next real chance at goal amid some controversy. While in the build up, from the backfield, Cornell Glen of the Quakes laid hampered on the field. Instead of playing it out, L.A. rushed up the field.
Mike Magee received a ball from Edson Buddle in the box and whipped a bending ball for the far post. His shot beat Jon Busch, but went just wide, keeping the San Jose one-goal edge.
Just when things seemed to be evening out, Landon Donovan nearly pulled the Galaxy even in the 38th minute. Khari Stephenson played an errant ball to his back line around midfield that Donovan stole. He subsequently turned it into a break away and hit a shot that Busch made a diving stop on. Tim Ward booted the rebound out for a corner that L.A. couldn’t convert.
Play settled into a strict possession battle, with only missed tries from Magee (41st) and Glen (45th) that came remotely close to goal. San Jose took its 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Second Half
San Jose, just as it did in the first half, got the best opportunity in the early going of the second half. However, this time, the keeper’s best friend prevented the Quakes from taking a 2-0 lead.
In just the 49th minute, Convey bent a free kick into the box that Wondolowski trapped. After a touch, he lined a cross to Glen who one-touched it at goal, beating Ricketts, buts nailing the post. Ricketts recovered to grab the rebound.
Los Angeles’ Buddle made his way into the game finally in the 54th minute, taking a shot from just outside the box that handcuffed Busch in goal. Busch scrambled to keep the ball in play and did, but right to Magee, who took a shot that was blocked. San Jose was able to avert any further danger.
With the Galaxy down a goal, they began to push forward, and Donovan assumed the role of striker. He took the ball in the offensive third with space, delivered a lofted switch of the ball to Franklin who played a quick ball back to Donovan.
On one touch, Donovan -- who was open just to the right of the penalty spot -- ripped a low shot at goal. Brandon McDonald, a former Galaxy player, was able to block it, however.
The Franklin, Donovan connection hooked up again two minutes later in the 74th minute. Franklin played a ball into Donovan who played a wall ball back to Franklin in space. When in the box, Franklin chipped it to the top of the box and Donovan unloaded a left-footed volley that Busch made a diving stop on.
Geovanni made his much-anticipated Earthquakes debut in the 72nd minute. In the ensuing rush after the Donovan missed opportunity, the Brazilian designated player got into the box with only Ricketts to beat, but was stoned on his try for the near post.
It became an all-out onslaught at the Earthquakes goal in the final 10 minutes of the match. San Jose was able to withstand several corners from the Galaxy. In the 84th minute, Buddle was on the back post and just needed a better touch on an Alex Cazumba cross and it could have been equal. He missed, and it remained 1-nil.
Ryan Johnson, a second-half sub for San Jose, got behind a Galaxy defense that had been pressing forward and forced Ricketts to make a key save in the 88th minute, which he was able to do.
In stoppage time, an Eddie Lewis shot from distance was the only serious threat at San Jose’s target the Galaxy could muster up, and he missed that wide.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
First Half
Los Angeles has been the best team thus far in the 2010 Major League Soccer season. They have accumulated their first-place standing by strong offense, defense and heady individual play. In the fourth minute, that escaped them, however.
Bobby Convey sent in a cross from about 30 yards from goal. It landed in the middle of the box, but Donovan Ricketts couldn’t commit to the ball. When he did, he was unable to snag it, and it went behind him to Chris Wondolowski, who put it in the open net for an early lead.
After the Quakes goal, the Galaxy controlled play -- most of it coming in the attacking third -- winning a number of corners and taking several shots.
Sean Franklin came up from his back line to give the Galaxy its best opportunity of the bunch in the ninth minute. Franklin controlled a cross with no Earthquake remotely close. He chested it down and ripped a shot that just missed high.
Play settled in with L.A. controlling possession and in the 27th minute, the Galaxy got its next real chance at goal amid some controversy. While in the build up, from the backfield, Cornell Glen of the Quakes laid hampered on the field. Instead of playing it out, L.A. rushed up the field.
Mike Magee received a ball from Edson Buddle in the box and whipped a bending ball for the far post. His shot beat Jon Busch, but went just wide, keeping the San Jose one-goal edge.
Just when things seemed to be evening out, Landon Donovan nearly pulled the Galaxy even in the 38th minute. Khari Stephenson played an errant ball to his back line around midfield that Donovan stole. He subsequently turned it into a break away and hit a shot that Busch made a diving stop on. Tim Ward booted the rebound out for a corner that L.A. couldn’t convert.
Play settled into a strict possession battle, with only missed tries from Magee (41st) and Glen (45th) that came remotely close to goal. San Jose took its 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Second Half
San Jose, just as it did in the first half, got the best opportunity in the early going of the second half. However, this time, the keeper’s best friend prevented the Quakes from taking a 2-0 lead.
In just the 49th minute, Convey bent a free kick into the box that Wondolowski trapped. After a touch, he lined a cross to Glen who one-touched it at goal, beating Ricketts, buts nailing the post. Ricketts recovered to grab the rebound.
Los Angeles’ Buddle made his way into the game finally in the 54th minute, taking a shot from just outside the box that handcuffed Busch in goal. Busch scrambled to keep the ball in play and did, but right to Magee, who took a shot that was blocked. San Jose was able to avert any further danger.
With the Galaxy down a goal, they began to push forward, and Donovan assumed the role of striker. He took the ball in the offensive third with space, delivered a lofted switch of the ball to Franklin who played a quick ball back to Donovan.
On one touch, Donovan -- who was open just to the right of the penalty spot -- ripped a low shot at goal. Brandon McDonald, a former Galaxy player, was able to block it, however.
The Franklin, Donovan connection hooked up again two minutes later in the 74th minute. Franklin played a ball into Donovan who played a wall ball back to Franklin in space. When in the box, Franklin chipped it to the top of the box and Donovan unloaded a left-footed volley that Busch made a diving stop on.
Geovanni made his much-anticipated Earthquakes debut in the 72nd minute. In the ensuing rush after the Donovan missed opportunity, the Brazilian designated player got into the box with only Ricketts to beat, but was stoned on his try for the near post.
It became an all-out onslaught at the Earthquakes goal in the final 10 minutes of the match. San Jose was able to withstand several corners from the Galaxy. In the 84th minute, Buddle was on the back post and just needed a better touch on an Alex Cazumba cross and it could have been equal. He missed, and it remained 1-nil.
Ryan Johnson, a second-half sub for San Jose, got behind a Galaxy defense that had been pressing forward and forced Ricketts to make a key save in the 88th minute, which he was able to do.
In stoppage time, an Eddie Lewis shot from distance was the only serious threat at San Jose’s target the Galaxy could muster up, and he missed that wide.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match
Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In EST
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kenny Cooper
Striker NY Red Bulls |
11 | 2 |
|
Chris Wondolowski
Striker San Jose Earthquakes |
11 | 1 |
|
Thierry Henry
Striker NY Red Bulls |
9 | 0 |
|
Saer Sene
Striker New England |
7 | 1 |
|
Maicon Santos
Striker D.C. United |
7 | 0 |